Washington, D.C. – UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage has said Hillary Clinton’s recent health scares “raises serious questions about her ability to lead” the United States in the 21st Century while hitting back against her “basket of deplorables” comment, drawing parallels between her disparaging comments and how his party’s supporters are treated by the British political establishment.

Speaking exclusively to Breitbart London on Monday, Mr. Farage – who will officially step down as UKIP leader later this month – recalled his struggle with health-related issues and how it applied to his political campaigns.

“The health of a party leader during a big campaign is a very real political issue. I know. I’ve been there! Before the European parliamentary elections I suffered a drastic decline in mobility. I lost most of the use of my right arm.

“In November [2013] I had to undergo major reconstructive surgery. It meant that by February 2014 I was fit enough to lead the campaign that took us to victory. But that didn’t stop my opponents in the run-up to the general election [in 2015] constantly putting out stories about my health.

“They said I had a reoccurrence of cancer, which I suffered from and beat earlier in life. I did, in the spring, have severe back and neck pain which led to me taking diazepam: not exactly ideal, I confess, for a political party leader”.

Asked whether, having experienced rumour over his own health, he felt the discussion surrounding Mrs. Clinton’s own heath-related issues were legitimate, Mr. Farage explained: “I can certify that it is. And while I feel sorry for Hillary Clinton that she’s been diagnosed with pneumonia, it does raise serious questions about her ability to lead the USA in the 21st century.

He said that while Winston Churchill suffered strokes and heart attacks as Prime Minister, he is usually the “exception to every rule” and noted that the Presidency is somewhat more demanding than it was when Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, and even Ronald Reagan were presidents.

“I hope that Hillary has a speedy recovery so that the campaign can refocus on what she actually says,” he remarked, before moving on to her broad brush insult hurled at Donald Trump supporters or fellow travellers last Friday.

“The ‘deplorable’ comment rang some bells with me,” said Mr. Farage.

“Our old prime minister, David Cameron, famously once said about UKIP supporters: ‘they’re a bunch of loonies, fruit cakes and closet racists, mostly’.

“The theme continued during the EU referendum campaign. Leave voters were described as ‘old, angry, ill-educated and with racist tendencies'”.

Asked what Mrs. Clinton was attempting to get at with her comment, he responded: “It’s all an attempt to put undecided voters off joining this ‘awful’ group of people. This is exactly the same game being played by Hillary and in my view there is only one person who deserves to be described as deplorable.

He added: “It does make me wonder – she was lashing out at Trump supporters as racist, homophobic etc, etc – while the Clinton Foundation has taken so much money from Saudi Arabia. Maybe barbaric practices don’t matter if you are a donor… what price hypocrisy?

Mr. Farage was keen to add that he hopes Mrs. Clinton “makes a swift recovery and loses fair and square on November 8th”. He concluded: “People across the West have had enough of being sneered at”.